Behind Blue Eyes
by Kitty Rasputin
Summary: Cain and DG's thoughts throughtout the series. Starts at the beginning of part 2. Chapter 7 finally up!
1. Anxious

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer-I don't own Tin Man, but I'd do anything to own Cain.

Chapter 1-Anxious

Wyatt Cain felt more anxious than he had in a long time. He had given up that feeling, along with so many others, when he had been trapped in that tin hell Zero had stuffed him in. The suit had kept him alive, its magical properties keeping him from aging or wasting away. It was a torturous stasis that would barely let him move at all. His voice broke after the first hour of screaming Adora's name. All he could do after that was watch the scene replay over and over and think about what he could have done to protect his family. It wasn't long before that became too painful. He stopped allowing himself to think or care about anything. The only thought that kept him from going insane was going after Zero and getting his revenge.

Now, though, all of the feelings he thought he had locked away were coming back to haunt him. He didn't let them show because he knew it was a luxury he couldn't afford, but he could tell they were affecting his actions. If he'd been thinking straight, hell, if he'd been thinking at all, he would have been protecting DG. Instead, he had tried to confront Zero. It was the shock from the news he'd been told that caused him to slip. He was preparing himself to beat up all three of the Longcoats when Zero told him something he never could have expected. His family was alive. Being shot and falling through a glass window and a frozen lake had been agonizingly painful, but he'd pushed past it. Just a few days before, he would have been grateful to die. Now, there was a strange emotion forcing him to push on: hope.

Cain didn't remember pulling himself out of the lake. He didn't remember Glitch dragging him back to the safety of the wagon. What Wyatt Cain did remember were the dreams.

In these dreams, Adora and Jeb smiled at him. It was the day that he had joined the resistance. His wife had been so proud of him for standing up for what he believed in. They'd both known that, no matter what happened, it was the right thing to do.

"Don't give up on your friends. They're stronger than you think. They will survive Azkadellia's Longcoats. She can't break everybody." Adora's words to comfort him when the Longcoats had attacked the Tin Men had done little to ease his mind. Now, though, he thought of his recent traveling companions. They had to survive, especially DG. If she didn't, then all hope for the O.Z. was lost.

Abruptly, the dream had changed. The Longcoats had burst through the door of his cabin while they were in the middle of dinner. Cain had managed to reach his gun and shoot two of them before the others pulled it out of his hands. They had dragged the entire family outside where Zero was waiting with a smirk on his face. It was the same scene he had watched for so many annuals and it hurt him again to realize he hadn't been able to protect them.

Then, it was DG he saw in his dreams. He hadn't been able to protect her either. He swore, knowing that he hadn't even tried, despite his promise to the Mystic Man. He could imagine her as she tried to fight off Azkadellia's minions. The girl had spunk, that was for sure, but even that wouldn't be able to save her from the mobats and the Longcoats.

When Cain had finally woken and Glitch told him what had happened, he had to make a quick decision. He could either go after his family or help to rescue DG. In the end, it really wasn't all that hard to decide. He had thought his family dead for the last ten years. A few more days without them wouldn't make much difference. On top of that, he knew that Azkadellia would have no qualms about killing her sister again once she got the information she wanted. It wasn't just that he had promised to look out for her or because he knew she was probably the only one that could stop her deranged sister from taking over the entire O.Z. DG had somehow wormed her way into his heart and Wyatt Cain vowed that he was not going to lose another person he cared about.


	2. Prison Cell Memories

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer- I don't own Tin Man or Wyatt Cain, much to my dismay. If I did, there would have been an actual ending to the miniseries.

Chapter 2-Prison Cell Memories

DG cried out as the viewer began sifting through her memories. There were things that she didn't want anyone to see, but thankfully that wasn't what they were looking for. The pain was excruciating as the viewer tried to go past the magical defenses, but she willed herself to not make another sound. Her friends would want her to remain strong, even though Raw was the only one left that could tell her so. The pain subsided quickly as the viewer screamed out that he couldn't go any further into her mind, but it left her feeling nauseous and unbalanced.

It was only when she was being escorted to her cell that DG let herself think. The entire experience had been disorienting, but no t nearly as alarming as it could have been. She had supposed it was the dreams she'd been having and Pop's fairy tales that made her less apt to be surprised. That assumption had lasted only until her parents had told her she was from the O.Z.

Between the Longcoats invading the farmhouse and having to jump into a cyclone, she thought her day couldn't get any stranger. That was before she'd been attacked by painted midgets with spears. They had forced her into a cage hanging high above the forest floor and had accused her of being a spy. It was there that she met Glitch.

She had realized almost instantly that Glitch was a sweet, but very confused, person. She still wasn't sure how a person could survive without half of their brain, but, if it could be done, this was the place to do it. She'd felt an instant liking to him, mostly because he was nearly as confused as she was. He reminded her of a friend in high school that had been in a car accident. The resulting brain trauma had scarred him so much that he was about as attentive as a kindergartener on sugar. Glitch's power to remain at least semi-functional made her like him that much more.

Cain was a completely different story, DG decided. She'd gone running into that illusion filled with fury and armed with only a stick, but she wasn't about to sit back and do nothing. His ungrateful attitude and unwillingness to help them after she'd let him out of his tin prison made her that much more determined to find her parents on her own. However, she began to recognize his attempts at being emotionally distant for what they really were. He cared a lot more than he wanted any of them to know. That was why he had come to help them when she'd gone to see the Mystic Man.

The revelation that Cain was a Tin Man was not a huge surprise once she thought about. He could define the word cop in a way that she never thought petty Elmer Gulch could ever have hoped to. The honor and sense of purpose he had made her think of a hero straight out of a Western movie. He even reminded her of Captain Mal from her favorite sci-fi show. Underneath the tough exterior and in spite of all that he been through, he was just a kind and sweet man. At least he had been, DG forced herself to remember.

Raw was another friend she hadn't counted on making. In spite of Cain's warnings, or maybe because of them, she couldn't resist the urge to help the viewer. It meant that they had to run from the Papay and even jump off a cliff, but helping somebody in need was second nature to her. Raw, it turned out, could return the favor by healing Cain's leg and detecting emotions and memories off of the others. He was relatively quiet which was vastly different compared to the numerous squabbles Cain and Glitch got into.

Raw was the only one of her friends that she was positive was still alive. She held out some hope that Glitch had survived, but couldn't bring herself to imagine how Cain could possibly live through being shot and tossed into a frozen lake. Raw, though, was even trapped in the same place that she was. As soon as DG figured out a way out of her cell, she was going to go find him. He was too timid and sweet to be left alone in this place, especially after what had happened to the other viewer. She vowed that she wouldn't leave him behind. He was the only one of her friends left that she could save. After everything that had been done to keep her safe, she was not about to run away and leave one of the few people she trusted to rot in Azkadellia's prison.


	3. Inconspicuous

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer-I own nothing. I didn't even get Cain for Christmas.

Chapter 3- Inconspicuous

Cain walked the halls of the tower, praying that Glitch would keep his mouth shut enough for them to remain inconspicuous. They had gotten in easily enough, but it was only a matter of time before somebody found the missing guards. He had no idea what would happen then. He just wanted to focus on finding DG and getting the hell out of there.

"What if she isn't here, Cain? What if they took her back to Central City?" Glitch's voice was close to a whisper. Apparently, even he knew not to draw attention to himself at a time like this. "What if we can't even help her now?"

"She's here," Cain replied tersely, refusing to even contemplate that other option. "She's a tough kid. She'll survive this." She has to, he told himself.

"But what if…"

_Clang_. A shadow detached itself from the wall and clubbed Glitch over the head with a big wrench. Cain had his gun drawn and pointed at the attacker before he realized it was Raw. He let go of a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding, grateful that they hadn't been caught yet. Then, his eyes went past the viewer to the alcove where DG was hiding.

"Hey there, princess." She looked rather shaken, but there were no visible marks on her. At least she was alive, he tried to tell himself. Azkadellia could have done much worse to her.

"Cain! You're alive!" Suddenly, she had pulled him into a tight hug. He held her close, knowing she needed some form of comfort after everything she had been through. That small gesture told him everything he needed to know. She was safe now. He hadn't failed her.

When she stepped away from him after holding on a moment too long, he began to feel distinctly uncomfortable. Reality descended and he realized just how wrong he'd been. She was no safer now than she had been before he'd found her. On top of that, he would be failing her even more if he didn't find a way for them to get out of there. They had already wasted enough time being sentimental.

It was then, and only then, that Cain noticed the princess was being guided around by a strange dog. He sent her a questioning look that made her shrug. No matter how often he told her to not trust anyone, she still managed to pick up strays. He was beginning to trust Glitch and Raw as much as he could, but adding another member to their little party was pushing him too far. Still, at least she had learned enough to start being suspicious of people that she didn't know.

His mistrust of this dog only intensified when he found out it was really a shapeshifter. DG seemed inclined to believe the man's story, but Cain wasn't so easily convinced. It was far too convenient that he just happened to be able to lead them out of the tower. What had he been doing in the tower anyway? If he were a prisoner, why hadn't he escaped before? And, if he wasn't a prisoner, what was his purpose in helping them? Cain decided that he would let the pooch tag along with them for a little bit. However, the minute that he did something wrong, Cain was going to be waiting. He wasn't going to take any chances, especially if it would put DG's life in danger again.


	4. No More Sitting Around

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer-I don't own anything. I'm just enhancing what could have been.

Chapter 3- No More Sitting Around

DG was tired of sitting around and doing nothing. She'd just seen the Mystic Man get his soul sucked out of him and she didn't want to wait for that to happen to her again. Watching the rat scurry around gave her an idea. Chucking bits of gooey stuff at the wheel felt stupid, but it was the best idea she had. Then, the dog had come out of one of the cells and scared the rat away. She didn't want to let her disappointment, but inwardly she was cursing the mutt for ruining a decent chance for her to get out of there. That is, until the dog opened up her cell door.

"Thanks," she muttered as she started off in the direction that she'd heard Raw. The dog's barking made her pause for only a moment. It was almost like he wanted her to follow him. She shook her head at the absurd idea. "My friend is this way."

It took her several minutes of running through the hallways before she found Raw. Finding him alive and relatively unharmed gave her back a little bit of hope she'd been missing ever since she'd seen Glitch's unmoving body and heard Zero's story about shooting Cain and watching him fall out of a second-story window. Oh, how she'd wanted to slap that smirk right off of his face.

She'd barely gotten Raw out of his cell when they saw the Longcoats coming their way. The alcove they found was conveniently close and dark enough that they might not be seen. However, Raw had other ideas. Before she could stop him, he'd taken a wrench from the wall and smacked one of the Longcoats over the head with it.

"Ow! That could bust a zipper!" DG caught a glimpse of a silver zipper set in corkscrew hair before another familiar voice got her attention.

"Hey there, princess." She looked up into those ice blue eyes with more than a little shock. It wasn't possible. Zero had been so sure he was dead, had sounded so smug about killing him. For a moment, it felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Cain! You're alive!" Without even thinking about it, she had run into his arms. She wanted to cry from pure relief. All of her friends were okay. They had even come to find her. She felt all of her tension drain away for a few moments as she held onto him.

Abruptly, DG realized just how uncomfortable she had to be making him and hastily took two steps back. Cain would not appreciate her displays of affection no matter how soft he was under that thick Tin Man shield he wore. Besides, he'd probably only decided to rescue her to satisfy that unfailing sense of honor he had.

When he'd glanced at her canine companion and raised an eyebrow at her, the only answer she could give was a shrug. A lot stranger things had happened to her since she'd come to the O.Z. Hell, when she'd found Cain, he'd been stuffed inside a metal box. A dog that knew directions was the least of her worries.

DG nearly changed her mind when the dog changed into a man. She watched as Glitch and Raw took up defensive positions and Cain reached for his gun. This place was getting a little too weird, even by her standards. Shape-shifting people was something that surprised even her, in spite of all the X-Men comics she had read as a child.

She glanced back at the tower, grateful to have put a little distance behind them before they had stopped. It still wasn't far enough away to make her feel better, but there was something tickling the edge of her brain. Then, she realized what they had used to escape. "The Mystic Man said the machine was going to destroy the O.Z."

"You saw the Mystic Man?"

DG kept her eyes on Cain. He'd already lost so much and now she had to tell him about the death of a friend. "He's dead. She killed him." She wanted to reach out to him or hug him, but couldn't bring herself to embarrass him any further. There was no time for any of that even if she had because the newest member of their party chose that moment to speak up.

She was instantly glad that Cain tried to warn the man away. She knew that she was entirely too trusting of people, but something hadn't seemed right with their escape. He'd been a prisoner too, but somehow he had known exactly how to get out of the tower. It didn't make the hair stand up on the back of her neck, but it did make her feel mighty peculiar.

Then, the man pulled the doll out of his pocket. It looked familiar, like the marker along the road had. Instantly, she knew it belonged to her. It started to spin and float and she held out a hand to it. Then, she could feel a warmth spread up her arm and knew that it was moving because of her. Once the doll was clenched in her hand, DG found herself lost in a memory of her childhood. She opened her eyes and recognized the man in front of her from his purpose in her life those many years before.

"Toto! You were our tutor." Nearly instantly, everyone dropped their defensive attitudes toward the stranger. Cain, however, kept his hand close to his gun in case the man made any sudden moves. She was grateful for that gesture. If it came down to it, she knew that he was going to be watching out for her. She'd seen a look of guilt on his face after they'd found each other in Azkadellia's tower. It wasn't hard for her to notice the blame he laid on himself for her capture. That, if nothing else, would probably keep him close until this quest was over.

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**Author's Notes**-Thanks to everyone that has read this so far. I've had a lot of fun with these characters, but it's hard to get them right when I've only seen "Tin Man" once.

**Safarigirl183**- I enjoyed putting the Firefly reference in because, when thinking about anyone else playing Cain, I saw that he acted a lot like Mal. Sorry DG's part was a little flat. I hope this part is better.

**Juniper holly**- Thanks for noticing that. I felt that in part one he was only doing his job. It isn't until part two that he actually starts caring about her (or anyone else, for that matter).

**MythStar Black Dragon, Kipling Nori, neefalco, and godsgracie12**- I'm glad you liked it. I'm trying to keep up the chapters, but I won't be posting every day. I want to make sure I get the characters right before they get posted. I just happened to have these chapters typed up while at home for Christmas break. It may take me a little longer to get more out, but I promise to attempt to at least once a week.

Well, that's it for now. If the need so compels you, I wouldn't be adverse to receiving reviews. I like constructive criticism if anybody has some. I also enjoy hearing whether or not I am portraying the characters correctly. Until next time.Kitty Rasputin


	5. Natural Leader

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer-I don't own this. If I did, I wouldn't be a starving college student.

Chapter 5-Natural Leader

Cain took the news about the Mystic Man's death rather well. It was a crushing blow, not just because he'd been such an important man in the O.Z., but also because Cain had become friends with the Mystic Man while he'd been protecting him. He couldn't let it show, though. His feelings had gotten him in enough trouble already. He caught DG glancing at him, looking for all the world like a lost little puppy. He could tell she was holding back from offering him another hug. If he were honest with himself, he wouldn't have minded if she had. It had been far too long since he'd let somebody comfort him.

He was less than pleased when he realized they would have to go back through the fields of the Papay. He sure as hell didn't want to become a snack for the runners, but he wasn't about to let DG go through there by herself. She got in enough trouble as it was when he was there to watch out for her. Leaving her on her own was just asking for something to happen.

When they were spotted by the runners, Cain's first instinct, after hearing DG scream at them to run, was to put himself in front of the others. He tried shooting at them and that's when he realized his gun wasn't loaded. He cocked a sideways glance at Glitch who was too scared to even notice. The zipperhead must have unloaded the gun while he was unconscious. It was a smart idea considering that Cain had nearly shot him, but it didn't help them at all now.

"Use your gift, DG." The tutor's voice grated on his ears. This was no time to be putting more pressure on the kid. Not only did the fate of the entire O.Z., a place she barely remembered, rest in her hands, but she was also trying to find a family that she hadn't known existed until just a few days ago. Now, this strange old man that claimed to be her tutor was forcing her to use magic she'd forgotten she had. Cain was having none of it. He opened his mouth to tell Toto just where he could stick his ideas when the runners started bowing to them.

Everyone looked just as confused as he felt until they saw the tree DG had pressed herself up against. She had made it blossom, something the dead trees wouldn't have been able to do without her help. He watched as shock and wonder played across her face, making her look more innocent than ever. Cain felt proud of what she had done and, at the same time, sorry that he had ever doubted her. Even with the friendlier attitude of the Papay, he didn't want to stick around for very long. They had an elsewhere to be and he wanted to get there as soon as possible. Still, he couldn't help congratulating DG on saving them when he couldn't. "That is some defense you've got, kiddo."

It felt natural for Cain to be leading the others. He knew the area well because of the years he had spent building a life for his family there. His cabin was close, but he wasn't ready to see it again. They could have rested there and maybe found some supplies. Nobody mentioned a word about it, though, and he was grateful for that small kindness.

He kept a careful eye on all of them, but mostly DG. She was quieter after they had left the Papay. Then, when they finally stopped for the night, he stayed up to keep watch. It wasn't long, though, before her dreams woke up everyone else. He wanted to wake her up so her nightmares wouldn't get worse, but Toto advised against it. He hated to admit the man made sense about the dreams possibly being memories from her past. It still didn't make him feel better. He'd had to repeatedly watch his own nightmares for eight years. Before he changed his mind about, DG startled herself awake on her own.

Cain could tell, later on that day, when she started to remember again. Her face was oddly blank and her eyes were squeezed shut as she held the withered apple in her hand. It was important for her to remember all that she could about her past, especially if it helped them find the emerald. However, they didn't have a whole lot of extra time left. After only a minute or two, she opened her eyes, but he could see she was still watching the past. He realized that he'd have to get her attention or they'd never get moving again. "DG, are you ready to go?" She didn't answer, but followed him without complaint. He decided not to ask about what she was thinking about. The look of confusion on her face was enough to forestall anything he could have said.

When they reached the gorge, he was not very surprised to find Longcoats swarming all over the place. Azkadellia must have already found out about DG's escape from the tower. He needed to get them away from the bridge before they were spotted. That's when he saw it. The blue smoke rising out of the woods was like a beacon calling to him. He knew what it stood for and hoped that the occupants had an alternate way for them to cross.

Cain could tell that the cabin owners were being cautious when five strangers showed up in their yard. When he spoke the right phrase, though, they ushered the small group into the house. Just as he had expected, they did know of another way to get across the gorge. They would have to wait until nightfall, though. He itched to keep moving, aware of how dangerous staying in one place could be, but knew the Longcoats could spot them easier in daylight.

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Author's Notes-I'm trying to space out the chapters a little bit because they took the video offline. I have a few chapters that I've finished up, but I don't want to make everyone wait forever for updates.

MythStar Black Dragon, godsgracie12, and safarigirl83- Thanks for the reviews. I'll try to update as often as possible, but with school back in session that may not happen as much as I'd like.

Rowe3- Really? They considered Neal for Mal? That's so funny. They both have that stubborn "Boy Scout Syndrome" because even Mal won't turn his back on somebody that really needs help. cough, River, cough

Thanks also go out to those that have put this story on their story alert. Special mention goes out to the three people that reviewed "Everything is Gonna Be Alright," especially SG1SamFan. Cain's reaction to her cocking the gun was something that I came up with on the spot. I just didn't feel that he would take her out into the city without knowing she could defend herself. I liked the idea of her being armed.


	6. Responsibilities

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer-Roses are red, violets are blue, me no own so you no sue.

Chapter 6- Responsibilities

DG was grateful that Cain was leading. It was one less responsibility that she had to worry about. Healing the tree for the Papay had felt natural, but trying to remember how to use her magic exhausted her. She trusted the others knew which way they were headed, except for Glitch who had no sense of direction whatsoever. There was no way that she was going to remember, at least not until she managed to clear her head.

They must have passed very close to Cain's house, but he never said a word. She noticed how he got very tense and stopped speaking to any of them for several minutes. She shivered, wondering how he could force himself to push on after all that he had been through. She wasn't even sure why he continued to accompany her. Her sister was the one that had caused most of his misery by ordering Zero to attack him and his family. In fact, Azkadellia had been responsible for hurting all of her friends in some way. It was a miracle any of them decided to help her at all.

DG could feel exhaustion setting in long before she wanted to stop, but couldn't bring herself to say anything. They hadn't put enough distance between them and the tower to make her feel comfortable. Unfortunately, the others tired out quickly after their brush with the Papay. She couldn't complain when they set up camp for the night. In addition to the adrenaline wearing off from their escape, using her magic had left her physically drained.

In spite of her exhaustion, DG fell into an uneasy sleep. Her dreams caused her to toss and turn on the hard ground. In them, she saw herself as a child. She could feel the terror emanating from her younger self as she ran for the safety of her mother's arms. When her mother pointed out Azkadellia, the nameless fear only increased. Before she could even think about why, the dream shifted and she saw Azkadellia as she now looked, but vastly different. Instead of her normal dominatrix outfits, she wore a thin cream-colored nightgown. She looked peaceful, almost vulnerable, while she slept and DG wondered how this could be the same woman she had spoken to only hours before. As she watched, her sister woke up and walked over to a mirror in the room. Her face was pale and more than a little frightened. Then, the reflection changed into something ugly, mean, and evil.

DG jolted herself awake to find her friends staring at her in concern. She must have cried out in her sleep and woken them up. Her pulse thundered in her ears and she thought her heart might beat right out of her chest. That last visual had shaken her to the core more than any nightmare had since she'd been under the age of ten. She wasn't sure what to make of it and, frankly, didn't even want to think about it.

"DG dream of Azkadellia." Raw's statement caused her to lose her train of thought. She quickly had to reprocess the rest of the dream. That's when she realized it was actually one of her lost memories. She quickly filled the others in on what she remembered. At least now they were headed for a specific area instead of just a direction. She hoped that she would somehow remember more the closer that they got. Still, a little voice told her that she didn't want to know what had happened.

Later in the afternoon, she had fallen behind the others when she noticed Glitch stoop down and pick something up. It was an old withered apple. Seeing it sparked the words Azkadellia had told her when she was trying to convince DG they were friends. She'd mentioned something about apples, something that they used to do when they were children.

DG gingerly picked an apple off the ground, not even listening to what Glitch was saying. In her mind, she saw the fruit as it could have been: ripe, red, and juicy. She watched as her sister decided to go back to the palace. Az, it seemed, liked to follow the rules a lot more than she did. When the bear showed up, she had dropped the apples she was carrying in terror. Az was the one that grabbed onto her hand and urged her not to be afraid. The bear had lumbered off after a moment, somehow scared by the light from the two little girls.

When DG opened her eyes, she felt as though her world had been turned on its end for the millionth time in only a few days. Her sister could not be as evil and twisted as that woman in the tower. Something had happened to make the sweet little girl in her memories become the Stalin of the O.Z. DG vowed that she would find out what it was and do what she could to fix the problem. The only issue was she was better at fixing

machines than being able to even talk to other people.

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Author's Notes-Sorry for the wait, guys. I could have sworn that I posted this chapter before my birthday. (Bad Crystal, bad.) My birthday wasn't that great, by the way. However, I did get a downloaded version of Tin Man which means that I'll try to get more chapters up soon. Anyway, I hope this chapter can hold you for a little bit until I get the others typed up. Please review. It feeds my muse and when she eats, she is happy.


	7. Gestures

"Behind Blue Eyes" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 7-Gestures

As soon as Glitch started talking about Azkadellia's machine, Cain realized it had to be something vitally important. If the zipperhead had figured out, with only half of his brain, that a sunseeder was what Azkadellia was building, he would probably be able to remember more of it with a little coaxing. The only problem was that he couldn't bring himself to suggest that course of action. He'd spent eight years of his life reliving memories and wouldn't wish that on anyone, least of all one of his friends.

DG spoke up, a little forcefully, echoing his first thoughts. The kid was starting to crack under the pressure from everything. It was getting to be too much for her. He wasn't surprised by this, especially considering the amount of life-altering revelations she'd had in the past few days. It was enough to make anyone start losing control.

Cain watched Glitch's memories play through the mirror with a mix of shock and horror. After he'd first labeled the man as a headcase, he hadn't really believed it. Glitch was far too eloquent and far too brilliant to be a convict, even if he did have moments where his brain didn't work right. Seeing just how much he'd been willing to sacrifice for the O.Z. made Cain feel physically ill. He'd actually had his brain taken from him because he was trying to protect the royal family. It seemed that Azkadellia knew just what to take from people.

He watched as both Raw and DG tried to comfort their friend. He was half tempted to hug the man himself, but knew that somebody had to stay alert. He trusted the resistance fighters, but not nearly enough to risk DG's life for it. He had to make sure that she was safe before he could let his guard down. Glitch himself looked brutally shaken. The truth was much worse than any of them could have expected. Cain instantly swore that he would do whatever he had to do to defeat Azkadellia. It was no longer just about his family anymore. All of his friends had been hurt by the sorceress and he would be damned if it happened again.

It wasn't until Glitch and Raw walked outside that he noticed the full impact the memories had on DG. Her composure was shattered for the first time since he'd met her. It was more than just from the glimpse into Glitch's mind. She'd been through so much worse to affect her so badly. That's when Cain realized that it was everything put together that made her so upset.

"If my mother hadn't given up her light for me, Azkadellia wouldn't have been able to take over." He read into those words everything that she wasn't saying. It was impossible not to recognize the despair in her eyes. In that moment, he knew that she blamed herself for everything that had happened since then, including his time in the suit and the removal of Glitch's brain.

"You have to leave it in the past," he told her gently. He'd seen what could happen to a person if they lived with that much guilt and blame. Hell, it had nearly destroyed him. He would damn himself to hell if he let this wide-eyed slip of a girl walk down that path. It wasn't just because she was the best hope that the O.Z. had of surviving. He realized that he personally cared what happened to her. She was the bond that held them together and the balm that soothed their wounds. She rarely complained and almost never asked for anything for herself.

Right then, Cain wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and comfort her. It was what she would have done for him. There was just something, some inner voice, that wouldn't let him take the extra two steps toward her. He just held onto her shoulders and looked into her eyes, hoping that he could give her some strength from that small gesture. It must have worked because she attempted a smile and walked out the door.

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Author Notes-Sorry, it's been so long. I've been working on a short film (that didn't work out) and trying to play catch up with my homework. I feel as though I have neglected this story way too much. Again, I apologize and pray that this chapter keeps the angry fans away. Please review, whether you are nice about it or not.


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